Means for imparting surface finish to paper.



H. P. HOWE.

MEANS FOR IMPARTING SURFACE FIN ISH T0 PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1918. 1,278,659 Patented Sept. 10,1918.

2'SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. P. HOWE.

MEANS FOR IMPARTING SURFACE-FINISH TO PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, I918.

- Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

.having the pressure rolls,

HENRY r. nown, or serum FALLS, MAINE,

ASSIGNOR TO EASTERN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SOUTH BREWER, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF M IAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

man-tea Sept. 1c, 1918.

' Application filed February 2,1918. Serial No. 215,175.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. How, a citizen of the United States, residing at Steep Falls, in the-county'of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Imparting Surface Finish to Paper, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention has relation to machines for imparting a surface finish to paper sheets and more particularly tothose machines which impart to such sheets What is known as a linen finish. Such machines are frequently termed plating machines, as heretofore it has been customary to obtain the surface or linen finish, by arranging the sheets in a pile, the sheets of paper alternating. with sheets of linen, with metal plates forming the top and bottom and interspersed through the pile, and then passing the pile between pressure rollers, the result of the compression being that the minute projections on the surfaces of the linen sheets are forced into both faces of each paper sheet, giving it the appearance of linen. Such a process of linen finishing paper is necessarily slow, as it requires that the sheets of linen and of paper and the metal plates shall be separately handled and placed in a pile, and then separated after being subjected to the pressure rolls; and moreover a number of operators are needed for each machine, some to form the piles, some to separate them, and at least one other operative to lift the heavy pile and oversee its passage between the pres.- sure rolls.

The particular object of the present invention is to eliminate the necessity of forming the sheets in piles, the muscular efl'ort required to move the heavy piles from the pile-forming table to the plating machine and the necessity of having a large number of, linen sheets, which are easily creased on account of their flimsy character and are difiicult to handle, and also to reduce the number of operatives necessarv to efi'ect the surface finishing of the paper sheets.

I accomplish these objects by the provision of a machine which is automatic in operation and in which the sheets are plated or linenfinished one at a time.

The machine comprises two, coacting members which are surfaced to impart the linen or surface finish to the paper sheets, and which are caused to'm'ove or oscillate first in one direction and then in the other, so that on one stroke one sheet of paper may be passed between the members and delivered to one side of the machine, and upon the next stroke a second sheet of paper may be finished and delivered to the other side of the machine. Duringtheir movement, these members are so forced together that their operative faces are impressed into both sides of the sheet which is located between them, thereby imparting the desired finish to such sheets. Preferably ,the operative face of each member is formed of a sheet of linen or other fabric, and the member itself consists of a metallic plate which is flexible, and to which said sheet is secured.

The invention is capable of many embodiment-s, and in the form shown it consists of two oscillatory plates or members which are fed first in one direction and then in the other direction by pressure rolls between which said members are arranged. The

pressure rolls not only serve the purpose of feeding the members, but they impart the pressure thereto necessary for the embedment of'the fabric sheets in the sides of the paper sheets. In connection with the plating members, I preferably employ, on both sides of the machine, means for separating the ends of the members, means for feeding sheets of paper thereto in alternation,- and.

means for insuring the stripping of the paper sheets from the members and the delivery of such sheets at the completion ofthe stroke of the members.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the best embodiment of the invention now known to me,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 represents a front elevation thereof with the paper feeding andcontrol mechanism omitted.

Fig. 3 illustrates in side elevation. a portion of one of the operating members.

Fig. 4 illustrates pneumatic mechanism for stripping the paper sheet from the members.

It will be understood, of course, that the 7 in a lever or arm 29 projecting from a geargreatly varied, and that their arrangement will be such as to. effect the purposes de sired.

Any suitable frame-Work may be employed, but, for purposes of illustration, I

have shown the machine as being provided.-

with two end frames or standards 10, 10, connected by a cross brace 11. Journaled in suitable bearings in these standards, are

'two powerful compression rolls 12, 13, of

which one is adjustable in relation to the other.- As illustrated, the shaft 18 of the roll 13 is mounted in vertically adjustable boxes 14 which. are capable of being moved up and down independently of each other by screw bars 15 having handles 16 by which they may be rotated. These screw bars are in threaded engagement with stationary nuts with a crank 24, the crank pin 25 of which is adjusted toward and from the axis of the shaft 22 by a screw bar 26 in threaded engagement with a block 27 carrying said pin. The crank pin is located in a slot 28 formed segment 30 which is pivoted upon a stud 81. The segment is intoothed engagement with a pinion 32 on the shaft 19. As a result of this construction, the oscillation of the segment causes an oscillation of the two rolls 12 and 13. The stroke of the segment may be varied by adjusting the crank pin 25. In lieu of these parts, any other suitable mechanism may be employed for effecting the oscillation of the rolls.

The plating elements, as illustrated, consist of two plates or members 40, 40, each formed of a metal plate or sheet which may be curved in the direction of its length. To each end of these plates or members is secured a head 41 which supports a roll 42 capable of longitudinal adjustment in relation to the plate or member. Covering the operative face of each member, there is a sheet 43 of linen or' equivalent material for imparting the desired surface-finish to the paper sheet. Each of these sheets 43 is passed over the rolls 42 of the member carried thereby, and the ends of the sheet are secured to the heads 41 by clamps 44. To maintain the proper tenslononthe sheets '43, the rolls. 42 of each member are forced yieldingly in opposite directions by springs 45 which bear against the blocks '46 in which the rolls 42 are journaled. The said blocks are mounted to slide in guideways afforded gaging the heads of pins 49 extending into.

the ends of the springs 45.

The two plating members 40, 40, are located between the rolls 12 and 13 and are pressed firmly and tangentially against each other, and, as the said rolls are oscillated first in one direction and then in the other, the plates or members 40 are likewise moved or fed between the rolls first toward one side of the machine and then toward the other. To permit the introduction of sheets of paper between these members and the discharge of sheets therefrom, the ends of these members are separated. For this purpose they are preferably curved and are caused to travel in curvilinear paths. Consequently the machine is shown as provided on each of its two sides with a pair of brackets 50, 50. Said brackets are secured to the standards 10 and are provided with curvilinear guideways 51, 51, into which project rollers 52 carried by the heads 41 of the members 40. If desired, these rolls may be mounted upon studs extending laterally from the ends of the heads, or the may, if desired, be located upon the sha ts 53 on which the rolls 42 are journaled as indicated in Fig. 3.

By reason of the construction thus described, it is apparent that, when the two members are passed between the rolls first in one direction and then in the other, the forwardly moving ends of the members are separated so that the sheet of paper being fed between them is discharged, and a new sheet of paper may be inserted to be carried by them in the opposite direction during the next stroke.

For introducing sheets of paper between the plating members, any suitable feeding mechanism may be provided. For this purpose, I have shown conventionally two conveyer belts 54, 54, which are arranged on opposite sides of the machine and which are mounted upon pulleys 55, 56} Power may be imparted to oneof the pulleys .of each belt 'or conveyer so as to cause the belt to be moved in the direction of the arrow at the desired speed. These conveyers or belts are so located as to feed sheets of paper in alternation to the plating members. I have also shown conventionally means for causing the sheets to be fed singly; that is, I have illustrated in connection with each belt stop or abutment means 57 carried by levers 58 pivoted at 59 and arranged to be moved by a cam 60 mounted upon the end of the roll12. These parts are shown more or less convenside ofthe same figure.

revenue v tionally, but it will-be understood that the are directed against the front edge of the stop or abutment 57 is normally in an acsheet of paper to lift it from the lower memtive positionto prevent the feeding of a ber 40, and cause it to pass over the guides sheet, as shown on the right-hand side of the 67 and be delivered to the receptacle 68 onmachine in Fig. 1, but may be lifted by the the opposite side of the machine from which cam 60 to permit the passage of a single the sheet of paper was started. Sufficient sheet thereunder as shown at the left-hand inertia or momentum is imparted to the sheet by the movement of the plating members, I rovide for insuring the stripping of the that, when it is released thereby, it slides finished sheet from the plating members, and over the guides 67 and comes to a state of 7b its delivery to a suitable table or receptacle. rest in the receptacle 68. The operator, on

Any suitable mechanism for this purpose the other side of the machine, having in the may be employed, but I-preferably use a meantime placed a sheet of paper upon the blast of air to lift the advancing edge of the other conveyer 54, it is apparent that, upon paper sheet from the lower member as illusthe reverse movement of the stroke of the so trated in Fig. 4. This-stripping mechanism plating members, a second sheet of paper comprises a plurality of nozzles 60 having will be carried by them between the rolls and flat narrow mouths arrang d in f irly clo deliveredto the other receptacle 6'8.- Thus, I roximity to the path of movement of the with each stroke of the plating elements, a lbwer of the two plating members. There Sheet of pap 15 r e by h m betw en are twosets of these nozzles, one on each side the pressure rolls and is finished on both of the' ma hine, nd th are rr g d t sides thereof, the stop mechanism insuring direct their blasts or streams of air inwardly that the sheets of paper shall be pr perly toward the iddle ortion f th hin fed in alternation from opposite sides of Each set of nozzles is supplied with air from the machine. Of course in slack times, the @0 a pipe 61 onwhich the nozzles are mounted machine may b a tended by but one operth th i t rio ator who feeds the sheets of paper from only and which COIIll'IlUIllCflteSWl p of the nozzles through suitable ports or openone slde of the machine, but, to secure the ings 62 aS indicated in Fig. 4, Any suitable m m fi ciency, two operators are emconduits for conducting air to the pipes 61 p y t0 insure the fi s ng p ating f as may be l d ,A h Ih ill one sheet for each strip during each stroke trated at 63 a fan delivering air under presof the P g members,- The feeding movesure t a conduit 64, from whi h pipes 65 ment of the plating members may be varied lead to pipes 62. The top of each nozzle is y v rying h ar of movement of the segformed or provided with a flat plate 67, and m ntal gear 30, according to the size of the mo these plates form guides over which the Sheet of paper o he firiished.

sheets of paper m y pass to receptacles indi- It is evident that the machine may-be made ated conventionally at 68, in different sizes and that thelength of each The operation of the machine will be readp ng member may be such that the rolls ily understood from the-foregoing descripwill make one or more complete rotations 310a tion, There are two operatives necessary for during each stroke of the plating members.

the most eflieient p tio of th hi In such case, of course, the brackets, having one standing at each side of the machine in the guideways for the plating members, will proximity to the conveyer belt 54 thereat. be of proper'length.

Each operator places a sheet of paper to be When the linen facings of the plating 11W finished, which is in proper temper, upon the members become worn, they may be easily adjacent feeding conveyer, and, when the renewed by removing the clamping plates plating elements have nearly completed their 4ft, in which case it may be necessary to vermovement toward that side of themachine, tlcally aid]ust the roll 13 so as to permit the the stop 57 is lifted to permit the conveyer separation of the plating members.

to feed the sheet between the separated ends The plates, which form the members, are

of the plating elements. Thereupon the direlatively thin and more or less flexible, and rection of rotation of the rolls, 12, 13, is their outer surfaces may be roughened to inreversed, and the two plating members are sure -a non-slip ing contact between said then moved in the opposite direction, carrymembers and their respective coiinerating are ing the sheet of paper with them between and feeding pressure rolls. v

the rolls, with the result that the sheet is As indicated in theforegoing part of the progressively subjected to great pressure bespecification, it is quite apparent that many tween the rolls and the plating elements, and changes may be made in the precise mechathe fabric sheets carried by the plating elenism which I have illustrated and described ments are impressed or embedded more or without departing from the spirit and scope less in both sides of the sheet. As the paper of the invention as set forth in the claims. emerges between the rolls andthe then ad- Havingthus explained the nature of my vancing ends of the plating elements are said invention and described a way of makseparated, blasts of air from the nozzles 60 ing and using the same although without ateach other under pressure,

tempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is 1. A paper-finishing machine comprising the combination of a pair of oscillatory curved paper-finishing plates for simultaneously surfacefinishing both sides of a sheet of paper, means for pressing them tangentially onetoward the other, and mechanism for effecting the oscillation of said plates, whereby sheets of paper to be surface-finished may be fed alternately in opposite directions between them.

2; A paper-finishing machine comprising the combination of a frame, a pair of oscillatory curved paper-finishing plates supported by said frame and having their faces covered with, confronting layers of fabric or their equivalent for simultaneously imparting a rough finish to both sides of a sheet of paper, means supported by said frame for pressing said members one toward the other to press a sheet of paper between them, and means for causing the oscillation of said members, whereby-sheets of paper may be fed alternately in opposite directions between them.

3. A paper-finishing machine comprising the combination of a pair of oscillatory curved paper-finishing members having confronting layers of fabric or their equivalent for simultaneously imparting a rough finish to both sides of a sheet of paper, means for pressing said members one toward the other to press a sheet of paper between them, means for causing the oscillation of said members, and means on both sides of said members for feeding sheets alternately to said members, whereby during each stroke of said members a sheet is carried between and surface-finished by them.

4. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising cooperating plating members,

' each member consisting of, a plate, a fabric covering the operative face of the plate, and

means for oscillating the members against each other and under pressure and separating their advancing ends, whereby a paper sheet may be surface-finished on both faces between the members when so oscillated and delivered at the end of the stroke thereof.

5. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising cooperating, plating members, each member consisting of a plate, a fabric covering on the operative face of each plate, means for oscillating the members against whereby a .paper sheet may be surface-finished between the elements when so oscillated, and paper-feeding means on opposite sides of the machine for feedlng sheets of paper to said members.

6. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising oscillating plating members both surfaced with material "to "be impressed in the paper, means for oscillating the members under pressure, means for feeding paper members in advance of a predetermined receiving position of said members.

7. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising oscillating plates continuously supported by the frame-work thereof, each plate having a fabric facing on its operative face, automatic means for oscillating the plates against each other under pressure, and means for maintaining the fabric facing on each plate under tensionthereon.

8. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising coacting plates continuously supported by the frame-work thereof, each plate curved in the direction of its length and'ha'ving a fabric facing, opposing rolls for pressing said plates against .each other in rolling contact, and automatic means for effecting the oscillation ofsaid rolls and plates. I

9. A machine for surface-fininshing paper comprising cooperating oscillatory plates, each curved in the direction of its length, each plate having means thereon for imparting a fabric imprint, opposing-rolls for oscillating the platesagainst each other under pressure, and means for guiding said plates.

10. A machine for sur ace-finishing paper comprising flexible metallic plating members, attached to and constituting an opera- 11. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising oscillatory plating members arranged to be oscillated in rolling contact, and guideways on the opposite sides of the machine for supporting one of the members, and'arranged to separate said member from contact with the other member when said members are shifted from plating to non-plating position. 7

12. A machine for surface-finishingpaper comprisingv oscillatory plating elements, means for oscillating the plating elements, and means for guiding theelements as they are shifted from plating contacting relation to non-plating position and arranged to separate the elements from contacting engagement when so shifted.

13. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising oscillatory plates, each having a v fabric covering for giving a linen finish to paper on both sides thereof, means arrangedto feed paper thereto from-opposite sides of the machine, and means on both sides of the machine for receiving the per sheet from comprising oscillatory plating members for sheet toward the plating means, and means for alternately lifting said stops from arresting position to permit the feeding of the paper when the plating means are in position to receive the aper.

15. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising oscillatory plating membersfor surface-finishing both sides of a sheet of paper, guides for guiding the discharge of the finished paper, an air nozzle for projecting a blast of air under the paper sheet as it approaches the nozzle so as to lift it from the plating member which supports it, and

means for supplying air under pressure to said air nozzle.

16. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising pressure rolls, fabric-surfaced plating members arran ed between said rolls adapted to surface-finlsh a sheet of paper placed between them,-one of said members being curved in the direction of its length, and mechanism for automatically oscillat ing said rolls and thereby moving said members alternately in opposite directions.

17 A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising pressure rolls, mechanism for oscillating said rolls, coacting plates between said rolls and adapted to surface-finish a sheet of paper placed between them, and

mechanism for guiding and separating said plates as they saidrolls.

18. ihmachine for surface-finishing paper comprlsm a frame, and the following in strumenta' 'ties supported by said frame,

cillating said rolls, and plating members are'moved back and forth by movable back and forth between said rolls under pressure, each member'consisting of a plate, a sheet of fabric covering the operative face thereof, and means for holding such fabric sheet taut on the face of the plate.

19. A surface-finishing machine compris- 1n pla members having confronting faric 81111268011 faces, means for guiding said members in tangential paths, pressure rolls pressing said members to ether in tan gential contact, and means for automati ,cally oscillating said rolls.

20; A machine for surface-finishin paper comprising enacting plates, a sheet 0 fabric covering the operative face of each plate,

and mechanim for automatically moving said plates backward and forward in rollin contact, whereby during each stroke of said plates a sheet of paper fed-between said plates may be compressed progressively from end to end and finished on both faces simultaneously and then delivered automatically from said plates at the completion of such stroke.

21. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising coacting plates movable longitudinally in ta tial 'paths and each curved in the direction of its length, and instrumentalities for oscillat' guiding and pressing them together in rolling contact.

22. A machine for surface-finishing paper comprising eoacting plates movable longitudinally in tangential paths and each curved in the directidn of its length, pressure rolls on opposite sides of said plates signature. to wit: pressure rolls, mechanism for os- 

